Idaho Power-Owned Generation Resources

Electricity Sources

Idaho Power is one of the nation's few investor-owned utilities with a predominantly hydroelectric generating base. Our hydroelectric resources are at the heart of our company. We own and operate 17 near emission-free hydroelectric generation developments, three natural gas-fired plants and one diesel-powered generator, along with ownership shares in three coal-fired generating plants.

In above — average water years, our low-cost hydroelectric plants are typically the company's largest source of electricity. Learn more about our power plants.

Idaho Power-Owned Generation Resources

Resource by Type

Nameplate Capacity in Megawatts*

Number of Plants

Hydro

1,709

17

Coal**

1,118

3

Natural Gas***

762

3

Diesel

5

1

Total

3,594

24

*The maximum rated output of a generator under specific conditions designated by the manufacturer.**Idaho Power has partial ownership in three coal-fired generating plants.***Langley Gulch 300 MW summer/330 MW winter.

Our significant hydroelectric base and balanced resource portfolio position us well to meet future challenges. But as energy consumption grows, the cost of adding new generating resources and transmission lines will be much higher, especially when compared to our existing hydro resources.

Over the past few decades, we have observed that our hydro base is declining as a result of increased water use and years of drought. We are working to get more water into the Snake River by leasing water and cloud seeding. These activities have the ability to increase hydro generation, especially during the months of greatest need - the hot summer and cold winter - when electricity is needed for cooling and heating.

Our cloud seeding program is designed to augment winter snowpack, especially at higher elevations, and increase runoff and energy production during the spring and summer when energy demand is high. Learn more about cloud seeding(PDF).

Water leasing is simply an agreement where Idaho Power pays to use another party's water to increase flow in the Snake River. In the past these agreements have been negotiated with irrigation districts and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Water Supply Bank.

Our expanding partnerships with customers to use energy as responsibly and efficiently as possible is another cost-effective way to defer building new generating resources and new transmission lines.